Even experts can land on the wrong ICD-9 code for SLAP lesion repair, but visualizing the injury region as a clock will help you distinguish one type of SLAP (superior labral anterior posterior) tear from another.

Research Patient History for Accurate Diagnosis

Having a solid understanding of anatomy and knowing the severity of the patient’s situation give your coding a firm foundation.

Define it: The labrum is the rim of cartilage that deepens the shoulder socket (glenoid) and increases joint stability. The superior portion of the labrum can be torn when the shoulder dislocates forwardly (anteriorly). This results in a SLAP lesion — a tear of the superior labrum, anterior to posterior, says William J. Mallon, MD,an orthopedic surgeon and medical director of Triangle Orthopaedic Associates in Durham, N.C.

Patients can acquire a SLAP lesion after falling down, or following repeated overhead...